When could The War Between the Land and the Sea be released on Disney+? Latest news and speculation

After The War Between the Land and the Sea aired in December in the UK, international fans have been patiently waiting for it to arrive on Disney+.

The Doctor Who spin-off was produced before the end of the deal between the BBC and Disney, meaning it will be broadcast on Disney+ at some point, just as Ncuti Gatwa's seasons of Doctor Who were.

Starring Russell Tovey and Gugu Mbatha Raw as Barclay and Salt, The War Between the Land and the Sea followed a major conflict between humanity and the classic Doctor Who monsters the Sea Devils (now known as Homo Aqua) over the damage done to Earth's oceans and waterways.

Here's everything we know so far about when the spin-off could be released on Disney+.

When could The War Between the Land and the Sea be released on Disney+?

Disney+ has not yet confirmed a release date, but we know it will be released in 2026.

At this point, the earliest it could be released is May 2026. That's because the streamer has now confirmed its slate up until the end of April.

Writer Pete McTighe previously alluded to the release date during a panel at convention Gallifrey One. He said (via CultBox): "I hear that it's happening soon. I don't know — I don't have inside info, but all I've been told is that it's happening soon."

In the meantime he urged international fans to buy the series on Blu-ray, after it was released in February.

He added: "The Blu-ray's got lots of cool extra stuff in it. The Blu-ray has got deleted scenes in it. It's got the documentary — the making of, which is really, really great. I'm hoping there's a longer cut of that coming out sometime because there was so much footage. We were shooting footage the whole time. It was great."

The behind-the-scenes documentary has since been released on YouTube.

What is The War Between the Land and the Sea about?

The BBC's official synopsis reads: "When a fearsome and ancient species emerges from the ocean, dramatically revealing themselves to humanity, an international crisis is triggered. With the entire population at risk, UNIT step into action as the land and sea wage war."

Tovey plays Barclay, an everyman who is dragged into the conflict, with Mbatha-Raw starring as Salt, an ambassador for Homo Aqua - but the pair soon develop an unexpected connection.

The series also prominently tackles climate change, with showrunner Russell T Davies previously telling Radio Times: "One of the most boring things you can ever say to a writer is, ‘Don’t be preachy'.

"Quite a few religions have been based for thousands of years upon preaching. It’s not bad as a system, it works. The truth is, I don’t have to get on a high horse at all. If I’m writing about the oceans in 2025, then they really are filthy and stinking and half-destroyed.

"I would be lying if I didn’t mention these things. It’s only politically engaged because it has no choice."

Is there a trailer for The War Between the Land and the Sea?

Yes, check out the trailer below:

The War Between the Land and the Sea is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.

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